It occurred to me that a simple solution to the utility pole sidewalk problem doesn't appear to have been given voice. In at least two areas of the country that I have encountered, sidewalks have trees, hydrants, utility poles, etc. interrupting their path, where the paved portion of the sidewalk was reduced to a size that was still walkable around the offending object, or completely eliminated for short distance and simply asphalted in. To me, it stretches credulity that, to my knowledge, this solution didn't immediately come forth that would be very practical and vastly less expensive.